The present invention relates to forms from which a system obtains information for use in controlling subsequent operations of the system.
Baran et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,333, describe interactive techniques relating to paper selector sheet forms that a user can mark with a pencil or pen to select and retrieve facsimile pages from a shared facsimile data base FAX server system ("FAX server"). A FAX server unit processes a facsimile signal, interprets the selector sheet, and selects pages desired to be retrieved. FIGS. 2a-2e show various selector sheets; as described at col. 7 lines 5-20, a user may obtain information by transmitting a bar code to the FAX server via a FAX transceiver, and the FAX server decodes the bar code and transmits a copy of stored information to the FAX transceiver. FIG. 2f shows a selector sheet for adding data to the FAX server's stored data base; such a sheet could also be used to remove or modify information in the data base. FIG. 2g, as described at col. 8 line 49-col. 9 line 3, shows a follow-up form that a FAX server might provide to a user at the end of a transmission of data pages via a FAX transceiver. As described at col. 3 lines 40-43, at col. 10 lines 12-34, and at col. 15 lines 14-27, 50-52, and 58-62 in relation to FIG. 7b, the user can dial the telephone number of the FAX server and send a blank page; in response, the FAX server immediately returns a blank selector sheet to the user so that the user can fill it in to request pages to be retrieved.